Journal #3- The Stranger

I believe that Camus divides up his novel into two parts because they are almost completely different stories. There are still many parallels, like the role of light, Meursaults peculiar social interactions, and his acceptance of the inevitable. However,while the characters and setting remain the same, many things change within Meursault from the first part to the second. One of the main aspects of the story that changes is that Meursault begins to look within himself and find out what he truly feels and believes. Whereas in the beginning, he was more focused on his surroundings and others around him, in the second part he starts identifying with ideas or aspects of life that are important to him. Prior to being in prison, Meursault's indifferent and apathetic attitude kept the reader from knowing too much about him, but now that he is cut off from the aesthetics of nature to distract him he is forced to realize his true feelings and thoughts that he kept mostly hidden whether intentional or not. A quote from the first part shows just how indifferent Meursault can be in very significant situations. "Then she pointed out that marriage was a serious thing. I said, 'No.' She stopped talking for a minute and looked at me without saying anything" (42). This quote portrays Meursault's apathy towards a topic that by the general public's standard is pretty important. However, he shrugs the question off, simply disregarding it by refusing to agree. In contrast to this, Meursault expresses remorse when returning form the trial back to prison realizing that he will never again walk the streets and experience the town that he truly valued. " [...] I could make out one by one, as if from the depths of my exhaustion, all the familiar sounds of a town I loved and of a certain time of day when I used to feel happy" (97). Clearly there has been a transformation in Meursault's personality as he discovers his value and love for something only after it is too late. Whether, or not Camus meant for this to be significant or not, it clearly shows that Meursault is a different character from when we first met him.